Embouchure dystonia

Embouchure dystonia is defined as a series of involuntary muscular contractions affecting the embouchure area which are also associated to certain degree of lack of coordination of the tongue and the respiratory system that prevent from a controlled tone production.

Many musicians experience these ailments at some time or another during their lives. In some cases the dystonia can be overcome spontaneously and the affected may not be conscious of how he did it, in other cases, it may accompany the musician until retirement, varying the intensity of its manifestation during his professional life, and in others we come across the musician that "throws the towel".

It affects the advanced student and the professional, also and rarely we may see young musicians suffering from this disorder.

Nowadays, there is little information about this problem and is presented in an alarming and confusing way in some cases. I suggest prudence when looking for information about this subject in internet, given that we can find information that goes from a cautious clinical approach opened to new perspectives to the complete opposite.

This disorder is generally unknown among doctors, most of them have never seen a case and have no experience on this matter, generally they are cautious and sincerely admit they do not know the disorder, but others may dare to suggest botox which can ruin the embouchure forever.

After years of dealing with musicians with embouchure dystonia with no medication at all, my experience has brought me to the conclusion that this disorder that affects the wind musician is a consequence due to a progressive and unnoticed shift of our daily practice and a emotional behaviour associated to it. Why? Because in every single case I have been treating, the contractions or uncontrolled embouchure muscles appear when the mouthpiece gets near the embouchure, being everything normal before that moment.

We are not in front an act of muscle system disobedience, or body sabotage just because. We are not either facing neuronal or genetic alterations that go and come on their own. In fact, there are factors that give life to psychological automatisms that trigger unconsciously at the moment they were created, it is to say, the precise moment before the production of the sound, that are responsible for those jerks and general lack of coordination of embouchure and the respiratory apparatus.

Any reaction in our life starts obviously to happen at a given time, it is our conclusion or assessment on a fact that was thought of many times. Although there is some information that pretends to make us believe that embouchure dystonia is an incurable disorder, I suggest everybody to ignore it given that experience shows the opposite, however we can be sure that those who are followers of such a claim have never solved a case. Those affected will have to work hard to re-establish right psychological patterns responsible for the adequate muscular response.

Therefore, tenacious willpower and systematic work are needed to get results. I suggest to those affected not to abandon to emotional fits because such reactions may confuse or neutralize the result of a good work.